Fluid-projecting weapon



June 7, 1960 E. T. SCHWARZMANN 2,939,609

FLUID-PROJECTING WEAPON Filed March 31. 1958 IN VE N TOR EDUARD THEODOR SCHWARZMANN UnitedSt-ates 2,939,609 r um-rnomcrmo WEAPON Eduard Theodor Schwanmann, Kirchgasse 21, i v

' Zurich, Switzerland The present invention relates to a fluid-projecting weapon or spray gun for'civil self-defense purposes.

It is essential in such devices that the supply of utterly repugnant or even dangerous highly volatile fluids which it is often desired to use for deterring, identifying or temporarily disabling an assailant be absolutely prevented from issuing from the device before the latter is actually used against such an assailant. On the other hand, the device should be ready, for almost instant use in an emergency. c i

Onez'object of the invention is to provide a device of the said kind in which all joints are soldered or otherwise sealed with hard,- impermeable substances, as distinct from resilient or plastic substances such as rubber, which latter are liable to be osmotically penetrated by many of the highly volatile fluids which it may be desired to use. This also permits avoiding the use of removable ampoules or the like containing the fluid and which are disrupted or pierced during the use of the device.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a device in which the surfaces which come into contact with the fluid are hermetically enclosed when the device isnot in use While the surfaces which then are accessible or exposed to the atmosphere do not come into contact with the fluid even when the device is in use. Thereby, transfer of any fluid from the hermetically enclosed fluidcont'aining space to the said accessible or exposed surfaces is avoided. Such transfer is not prevented in the known devices comprising fluid-filled ampoules and members which are exposed to the-atmosphere outside the ampoule atent I f 2,939,699 Patented June 7, 1960 The spray gun illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a container 1 formed as resilient metallic bellows which are soldered so as to be hermetically sealed. This container is for the purposes of receiving a stupefying fluid of repugnant odor, e.g. a mixture of butyl mercaptan ethyl disulfide, isovaleric acid, and ether, which adheres to the human body and the clothes worn and may be sprayed against the assailant in the act of civil self-defense. The container 1 is hermetically soldered to a metallic part 2 which includes a cylindrical hollow space 3, communicating at its front end with the inside of the container 1 by means of three ducts 4. The container 1 and the metallic part 2 together constitute container means. At its opposite end the cavity 3 is closed by a diaphragm 5. This said diaphragm consists of a tin foil having a thickness of .004 to .008 inch and is adhesively affixed to the part 2 in a hermetically sealed manner by means of an adhesive which will harden to synthetic resin. A plunger 6 is movable within the cylindrical cavity 3. Said plunger is provided with a pin 7 which is situated on the end ofthe plunger facing the diaphragm 5 and adapted to pierce said diaphragm' The plunger and the pin are integral with each other. According to Figure 2 two ducts of about .016" diameter extend in a longitudinal direction of the .pin to a diametral bore 9 in the plunger 6. Provided in the part 2 is an annular transfer channel 10 associated with the cylindrical cavity 3. When the plunger 6 reaches the end position in which the pin 7 has pierced the diaphragm 5 and with the ends of the ducts 3 situated in the conical surface of the pin through the diaphragm, the ends 11 of the bore 9 communicate by means of this transfer channel with the portion of the cylindrical cavity 3 which is adjacent the container.

The outer surface of part 2 is provided on opposite sides of the latter with two recesses 12 which act as gripping surfaces, by which the spray gun may be grasped between the forefinger and the middle finger While simultaneously an axial pressure may be exerted upon the resilient bellows 1 by means of the thumb or the palm of the same hand. Around the diaphragm 5 the part 2 carries a ring 13 having an inner face 14 conically flaring in the outward when the device is not in use, but which serve to disrupt ofgthe said kind which not only is entirely sealed when not in use but which even in operation has no opening or unsealed joint except its discharge opening or openings.

These objects are attained in the device according to the invention, which comprises, on one hand, a sealed diaphragm and, on the other hand, means operable from outside the device but permitting piercing of that diaphragm from the inside. a

More generally the invention also has for its objects provision of a device which is of small size, light, simple, inexpensive to manufacture and easy to operate.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, by way of example only, of an embodiment of the said invention, and in which reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a longitudinal partly sectional view of the spray gun according to the invention, shown in readiness condition,

Figure 2 shows the forward portion of the spray gun during use, being a section on the line II--II of Figure l and drawn to twice the scale of that employed in Figure 1.

direction away from the diaphragm. A leaden sealing plug (not shown) and adapted to fit into this inner face may be provided for closing the spray gun after use.

Moreover, a cap 16 is rotatably secured to the bottom 15 of the resilient bellows in order to protect the latter against pressure exerted unintentionally. The said cap isprovided with a guiding tongue 17 which in the readiness position is aligned with the end of a groove 18 provided in the part 2 and which is adapted to slide into said groove when axial pressure is exerted upon the cap 16. In the inoperative position, on the'other hand, the guiding tongue 17 and the groove 18 are out of mutual alignment and the tongue may engage a notch 19 in the part 2 whereby the resilient bellows 1 cannot be compressed when axial pressure is exerted upon the cap and the spray gun thus is set at safe. The notch 19wacts as a safeguard against any unintentional rotation of the cap from ness position (with the safety device unlocked), so that the fluid cannot become effective.

When it is to be used, the unlocked spray gun is pointed with its diaphragm end directed forwardly at the assailant and axial pressure is exerted upon the end face of the cap 16 and thereby upon the resilient bellows 1. In doing this, the spray gun may be held between the forefinger and the middle finger of one hand at the recesses 12 and pressure may be exerted upon the cap by means of the #4 thumb or the palm of the same hand. The fluid put under pressure in this manner at first cannot enter the bore 9 and the ducts 8 through the end openings 11, since the transfer channel it still is covered by the plunger 6 (see Figure 1). The fluid pressure thus acts upon the plunger only at the face thereof directedtowards the container. Under continued action of the fluid pressure the plunger then moves towards the diaphragm 5, and the pin 7 pierces the diaphragm and protrudes through the latter. The discharge openings of the ducts 8 provided on the conical surface of the pin 7 are now exposed outside of the spray gun (see Figure 2). In this position of the plunger, the transfer channel it} is also partly uncovered by the plunger so that the fluid is forced through the transfer channel and the bore 9 into the ducts 8, and through the latter is sprayed out of the gun. Tests have shown that the de-' scribed spray gun can project the fluid over distances of 10 to 13 feet. After use of'the gun, a sealing consisting of lead can be inserted into the ring 13, in order to prevent further fluid from flowing out of the gun in an undesired manner, and thereafter the pierced diaphragm is replaced by a new one after the fluid has been replenished, if required.

Any of the parts bounding the inner hollow spaces of the spray gun may also consist for exarnple of synthetic resin in place of metal, and they may be fixed to each other or to metal parts by means of an adhesive medium which hardens to synthetic resin, Metal parts can also be fixed to each other by means of such a medium. It is preferred to fix the diaphragm to part 2 by such an adhesive medium even though the diaphragm and the part 2 consist of metal, since soldering of a tin foil, for example of .004 or '.008 inch thickness, offers practical difficulties. It is important that the parts bounding the hollow spaces of the spray gun are not sealed by so-called plastic sealing means, i.e. rubber packings or plastic seals, since hermetically sealed joints cannot be obtained with such means.

The spray gun according to the invention can be built in a small size, for example of the size of a. lip-stick, and in use may be manipulated by one hand. It permits the use also of extremely repugnant defensive fiuids of a highly volatile kind-since it is hermetically sealed until used.

What I claim is:

1. A fluid-projecting self-defense weapon comprising an axially compressible fluid container having an open end, a cylinder in hermetically sealed connection with said.

container and having an axial bore communicating at its one end with said open end of said container, a metallic diaphragm fixed to said cylinder in hermetically sealed connection therewith across the opposite end of said cylinder bore, a piston axially slidable in said bore in fluid-tight contact with said cylinder, said piston having a rear face towards said container, a pointed axial extension on said piston extending towards said diaphragm and which has a length such that it punctures said diaphragm when said piston moves toward said diaphragm a predetermined distance from a starting position in said bore, said piston further having at least one axially directed discharge duct through said extension, and port means issuing in the peripheral surface of the piston spaced from said rear face thereof and communicating with said discharge duct, said cylinder having a transfer passage therein controlled by said piston for establishing communication between said container and said porLmeans when the axial distance said piston moves from saidstarting position exceeds said predetermined distance.

2. A fluid-projecting self-defense weapon as claimed in clairnl comprising a locking element movably mounted on said fluid container externally of its end remote from said open end, said locking element being movable between a locking position in which it axially abuts said cylinder so as to prevent axial compression of said container, and an unlocked position in which it is freely movable axially to permit compression thereof.

3. A fluid projecting self-defense weapon as claimed in claim 1 in which said cylinder has a rearwardly facing external abutment surface and an external axially directed groove, and in which a locking member is mounted on said fluid container at its end remote from said open end, said locking member having an axial extension en-' gageable into said groove, said locking member being rotatable relative to said fluid container to bring said axial extension selectively into alignment with said abutment surface to prevent axial displacement of said locking member towards said cylinder and compression of said fluid container therebetween, and with said groove to permit such axial displacement and compression.

4.'A fluid projecting self-defense weapon comprising fluid container means having an axially compressible fluid container and having an open end, a diaphragm sealed over the open end of said container means, a piston axially slidable in said container means, and a pointed axial extension on the'end of said piston extending toward said diaphragm, said extension and said piston having a discharge duct therethrough for establishing communication between the peripheral edge of said piston and the' outside of said container means when said extension projects through said diaphragm and conduit means between said container and said discharge duct in said piston establishing communication between said container and said discharge duct under the control of the movement of said piston, said piston having a length such that said condnit'means are opened by said piston when said exten-. sion punctures said diaphragm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,880,354 Mueller l Oct. 4,1932 

